Imposter by William W. Johnstone

Author:William W. Johnstone [Johnstone, William W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2016-08-09T04:00:00+00:00

TWENTY

Precious seconds were lost as the three men jammed each other up trying to get inside the office. When they did manage to get in, they ran into Elsie, almost knocking her down.

“Big Ed’s been shot!” Elsie squalled. “Little Ed grabbed his gun and shot him. He run out the back door. The little shit shot his own father! I can’t believe it!”

Frank ran around to the side of the jail and cussed. The new fence blocked him, and of course there was no gate. He ran back around to the front and down the small alleyway, finally reaching the rear of the jail. Little Ed had vanished into the thick timber that lay only a hundred or so yards all around the town. In many places that timber and its underbrush were very nearly impenetrable.

“I’ll get a posse together,” Tom said, walking up behind Frank. “For all the good it will do. That timber is thick. With dozens of places to hide. A mile further on they’s caves. Doc’s with Big Ed. I’ll see you, Frank. Take care of things.”

Frank met Doc coming out of the office. “He’s hard hit, Frank. I don’t want to move him just yet. Stay with him. I’ve got to get some things from my office.”

Big Ed motioned for Frank to kneel down beside him. “You’re gonna have to kill him, Frank. I see that now.”

“Don’t talk, Ed. Save your strength.”

“No. Listen to me. The boy’s half crazy. He’s kill-crazy. I’ve seen it in other men, and so have you. I should have seen it sooner. But he was my son. You understand, don’t you, Frank? Don’t you?” he pleaded.

“I understand, Ed. I really do.”

Elsie was sitting on the floor next to her husband, weeping into her hands.

“Don’t give him no chance at all, Frank,” said Ed, “If you do, he’ll kill you. He can’t be trusted. Boy that would shoot his own father . . .” He coughed and grimaced in pain. “I never dreamed he’d try to grab my gun.”

Elsie turned to her husband just as Doc Evans entered the office. “Don’t you die on me, you big bastard!” she sobbed. “I love you, and you know I do.”

“I know, baby,” Ed whispered. “I know you do, and I love you.” He tried to laugh. “We sure picked some funny ways to show it, didn’t we?”

“All that is gonna change, Ed. I promise you, it will. I need you, Ed. We need each other. Don’t we?”

“We sure do, baby.”

“Elsie,” Doc Evans urged, “get out of the way. I’ve got to work on Ed. Go make me a pot of hot water for these instruments.”

Elsie got up and sniffed a couple of times. She wiped her eyes and her nose with the back of her hand. “Right away, Doc.”

“Get me some blankets, Frank. I’ve got to work on him right where he is. I don’t want to move him. I’ve got to probe for that bullet.” He looked at Frank. “And you’ve got to hold him down while I do so.

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